DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This Office Action is responsive to the Applicant's communication filed on March 11, 2026. In view of this communication and the amendment concurrently filed: claims 10-20 were previously pending; no claims were cancelled and no claims were added by amendment; and thus, claims 10-20 are now pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on March 11, 2026 have been fully considered.
The Applicant's first point (page 5-6 of Remarks) argues that BIENAMIME does not teach a cooling channel “integrated in the hollow cylindrical body adjacent to the interior surface.” The Applicant goes on to argue by quoting the Cambridge Dictionary to define integrate and uses case element 3 to define the hollow cylinder while the Examiner used cooling device 17 to define the hollow cylinder of the present inventions claims. Additionally, PTAB has thoroughly covered the definition of integrated in patent law to be interpreted with the broadest meaning. This includes multiple pieces fastened, welded, or interference fit together to make one item. Also, the Applicant should note that the use of a one piece construction instead of the structure disclosed in in multiple pieces would be merely a matter of obvious engineering choice (MPEP 2144.04).coll
The Applicant's second point (page 6 of Remarks) argues that RAO does not teach a lattice structure “adjacent to the interior surface”. While this limitation is not taught by one single reference, in combination it would be obvious to add the lattice structure of RAO to the cooling channel of BIENAIME. Which in turn would make the lattice structure adjacent to the interior surface.
The Applicant's third point (page 7 of Remarks) argues that claims 15-20 would be in condition for rejoinder if claim 10 was found allowable. However, claims 15-20 have not been amended to satisfy the requirements for rejoinder since in the instant case the product (Invention II) can only have a cooling channel with a, "gyroid lattice structure", while the process of making (Invention III) can be made with any general, "lattice structure"; as stated in the restriction mailed on October 14, 2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 10-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BIENAIME (US 20230072259 A1) in view of RAO (CN 115095391 A).
In regards to claim 10, BIENAIME teaches:
An electric generator(Fig 1; 1), comprising:
a housing(Fig 1; 3);
a stator (Fig 1; 4)disposed in the housing(Fig 1; 3)[0036];
a rotor(Fig 1; 6), disposed in the stator(Fig 1; 4)[0037]; and
a plurality of stator coils (Fig 1; 9)disposed in a plurality of slots (Fig 1; 14)in the stator(Fig 1; 4)[0043];
wherein the housing (Fig 1; 3)includes:
a hollow cylindrical (Fig 1; 17)body having an interior surface[0045] ; and
a cooling channel (Fig 1; 17’) integrated in the hollow cylindrical body(Fig 1; 17) adjacent to the interior surface[0045].
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BIENAIME does not teach:
a cooling channel including a gyroid lattice structure
the gyroid lattice structure configured to receive a cooling fluid.
RAO teaches:
a cooling channel (Fig 1; 4)including a gyroid lattice structure (Fig 1; 10)[pg. 5; ln 12]integrated in interior surface, the gyroid lattice structure (Fig 1; 10) configured to receive a cooling fluid(the cooling fluid is air [pg 3; ln 52-60])(the lattice 10 is a gyroid [pg 4; ln 25-38]).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cooling channel of BIENAIME by adding the lattice structure taught by RAO in order to provide a strong support for the cooling channels. [pg 4; ln 9-10 RAO].
In regards to claim 11, BIENAIME, in view of RAO, teaches the electric generator of claim 10.
BIENAIME does not teach:
wherein the cooling channel includes a plurality of layers of gyroid cells.
RAO teaches:
wherein the cooling channel (Fig 1; 4) includes a plurality of layers of gyroid cells(Fig 1; 10)(The cells fill the entire channel groove so they must be layered [pg 4; ln 33-42]).
In regards to claim 12, BIENAIME, in view of RAO, teaches the electric generator of claim 10.
BIENAIME does not teach:
wherein the cooling channel includes a plurality of layers of gyroid cells.
RAO teaches:
the cooling channel (Fig 1; 4) has a volume (A volume is innate to a cooling channel).
Combination BIENAIME/RAO discloses the claimed invention except for a 14 percent of a volume of the hollow cylindrical body . It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the percentage by volume of the hollow cylinder to be optimal for cooling, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
In regards to claim 13, BIENAIME, in view of RAO, teaches the electric generator of claim 12.
BIENAIME does not teach:
wherein the cooling channel includes a plurality of layers of gyroid cells.
RAO teaches:
a thickness of the gyroid lattice structure (Fig 1; 10) and a size of each gyroid cell (Fig 1; 10)(size and thickness are innate to a structure).
Combination BIENAIME/RAO discloses the claimed invention except for a a thickness of the gyroid lattice structure is approximately 0.04 inches and a size of each gyroid cell is 0.9 inches. . It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the thickness of these parts to be optimal for cooling, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BIENAIME (US 20230072259 A1) in view of RAO (CN 115095391 A), in further view of SIBBACH (US 20220029500 A1).
In regards to claim 14, BIENAIME, in view of RAO, teaches the electric generator of claim 10.
Combination BIENAIME/RAO teaches:
the hollow cylindrical body(Fig 1; 17) is formed from a material (a material is innate to a structure).
Combination BIENAIME/RAO does not teach:
wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of a Nickel Alloy, a composition with Titanium, an Aluminum Alloy, or a selected polymer;
wherein the selection is based on an intended maximum operating temperature of the electric generator.
SIBBACH teaches:
wherein the hollow cylindrical body(Fig 1; 500) is formed from a material[0029];
wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of a Nickel Alloy, a composition with Titanium, an Aluminum Alloy, or a selected polymer[0031];
wherein the selection is based on an intended maximum operating temperature of the electric generator[0006].
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the materials used in combination BIENAIME/RAO by using the materials taught by SIBBACH in order to transfer heat more efficiently. [0006 SIBBACH].
Additionally, the Applicant should note it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS L SETZER whose telephone number is (571)272-3021. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Oluseye Iwarere can be reached at (571) 270-5112. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/N.L.S./ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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